Pentax RS1500 vs Sony A200

Following is a complete overview of the Pentax RS1500 versus Sony A200, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Pentax and Sony. There is a sizeable difference among the resolutions of the RS1500 (14MP) and A200 (10MP) and the RS1500 (1/2.3") and A200 (APS-C) possess different sensor dimensions.

Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes

The RS1500 was revealed 2 years after the A200 which is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Pentax RS1500 being a Compact camera and the Sony A200 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a simple synopsis of how the RS1500 grades against the A200 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Pentax Optio RS1500 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A200. The full galleries are available at Pentax RS1500 Gallery and Sony A200 Gallery.

When you are going to carry around your camera regularly, you need to factor its weight and dimensions. The Pentax RS1500 provides exterior measurements of 114mm x 58mm x 28mm (4.5" x 2.3" x 1.1") along with a weight of 157 grams (0.35 lbs) and the Sony A200 has dimensions of 131mm x 99mm x 71mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 2.8") and a weight of 572 grams (1.26 lbs).

Examine the Pentax RS1500 versus Sony A200 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you are working with at that time. Below is the front view physical size comparison of the RS1500 against the A200.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the RS1500 and A200 is 93 and 66 respectively.

Generally, its hard to picture the gap in sensor sizes simply by seeing technical specs. The picture here may offer you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the RS1500 and A200.

As you can tell, each of these cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The RS1500 using its smaller sensor is going to make getting shallower depth of field more challenging and the Pentax RS1500 will produce more detail because of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop photos somewhat more aggressively. The newer RS1500 should have an edge in sensor innovation.